Traditional bioreactors are designed as stationary pressurized vessels which can be mixed by several alternative means, while current disposable bioreactors are devices which utilize plastic sterile bag. Each is used to process biological materials (for example, to grow plant, animal cells) Including, for example, mammalian, plant or insect cells and microbial cultures/Such devices may also be used for sterile mixing as well as non-sterile mixing applications.
Mixing has been accomplished in the pressurized vessels using impeller devices, while in disposable systems, it has been accomplished by rocking of the container the bioreactor back and forth. For example, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,788, to Singh, a disposable bioreactor is disclosed which accomplishes mixing by such a back and forth motion/process. This process is limited and cannot be utilized in a quick and efficient manner. Specifically, the rocking motion is limited to a low number of back and forth movements so as not to stress the bag and system.
Moreover, current disposable bioreactors do not include a total disposable system—probes, sensors and other components are generally used again and required sterilization prior to repeated use. Thus, current state of the art disposable bioreactor systems are not efficient, especially when it comes to mixing, and have a lag time between uses so that probes, sensors and/or other components may be sterilized prior to another use.
What is needed is a cost effective disposable bioreactor system in which many components are disposable and one which limits downtime between uses, and/or one which includes an improved mixing system.